Cooling system for a consumer electronics device

Abstract

A cooling system has one or more fans disposed within a housing adapted to attach to a consumer electronics device. The cooling system can also include a switch, a male connector and a female connector adapted to interface with the consumer electronics device and a power supply of the consumer electronics device. The cooling system may have a pass-through design, in which it receives power from the power supply of the consumer electronics device, taps into the power for its own operation, and passes the power onto the consumer electronics device, and/or it receives power from the consumer electronics device, taps into the power, and passes the power on to another device. The cooling system can also include one or more battery chargers attached to the housing for charging batteries related to the consumer electronics device.

1 . A cooling system for a consumer electronics device having a power input port, the cooling system comprising:
 a first cooling unit comprising:
 a first cooling element; 
 a first housing supporting the first cooling element; 
 a first connector configured to be coupled to the power input port of the consumer electronics device, the first connector comprising at least one electrical conductor for providing an electrical power to the consumer electronics device; 
 a second connector configured to be coupled to a power source, the second connector comprising at least one electrical conductor for receiving power from the power source; and 
 a third connector; 
 wherein the second connector is electrically coupled to the first connector, and is electrically coupled to the first cooling element to provide an electrical power to the first cooling element and is electrically coupled to the third connector to provide an electrical power to the third connector; and 
   a second cooling unit comprising:
 a second cooling element; 
 a second housing supporting the second cooling element; and 
 a fourth connector configured to be coupled to the third connector, the fourth connector comprising at least one electrical conductor for receiving electrical power from the third connector and for providing electrical power to the second cooling element. 
   
   
   
       2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second cooling elements comprises at least one fan. 
   
   
       3 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the consumer electronics device comprises a video game console. 
   
   
       4 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the second cooling unit comprises a switch electrically coupled to the first cooling unit and adapted to interrupt the electrical power from the power source to the first cooling unit, the second cooling unit, and the consumer electronics device. 
   
   
       5 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a potentiometer electrically coupled to the first and second cooling elements to control the electrical power provided to the first and second cooling elements. 
   
   
       6 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein the potentiometer comprises a knob configured to be adjusted by a user to control the electrical power provided to the first and second cooling elements. 
   
   
       7 . The cooling system of  claim 6 , wherein the knob is adjustable between a minimum position for providing a minimum amount of electrical power to the first and second cooling elements, and at least one non-minimum position. 
   
   
       8 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a recess located on one of the first housing and the second housing, wherein the recess has a size that is sufficient to receive one or more peripheral devices. 
   
   
       9 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising an AC/DC converter electrically coupled to the second connector and adapted to receive AC power from the second connector and to provide DC power to the first and second cooling elements. 
   
   
       10 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a release button coupled to the first connector and configured to release the first connector from the consumer electronics device. 
   
   
       11 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the second connector is adapted to replicate the power input port of the consumer electronics device. 
   
   
       12 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second housings are shaped to fit closely to the consumer electronics device. 
   
   
       13 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second connectors are integral to the first housing. 
   
   
       14 . A cooling system for a consumer electronics device having a power input port, the cooling system comprising:
 a first cooling unit comprising:
 a first cooling element; 
 a first housing supporting the first cooling element; 
 a first connector configured to be coupled to the power input port of the consumer electronics device, the first connector comprising at least one electrical conductor for providing alternating current (AC) power to the consumer electronics device; 
 a second connector configured to be coupled to an AC power source, the second connector comprising at least one electrical conductor for receiving AC power from the power source; 
 a third connector; and 
 an AC/DC converter electrically coupled to the first cooling element, the second connector, and the third connector and adapted to receive AC power from the second connector and to provide DC power to the first cooling element and to the third connector; 
 wherein the first connector is electrically coupled to the second connector; and 
   a second cooling unit comprising:
 a second cooling element; 
 a second housing supporting the second cooling element; and 
 a fourth connector configured to be coupled to the third connector, the fourth connector comprising at least one electrical conductor for receiving DC power from the third connector and providing DC power to the second cooling element. 
   
   
   
       15 . The cooling system of  claim 14 , wherein the second connector is adapted to replicate the power input port of the consumer electronics device. 
   
   
       16 . The cooling system of  claim 14 , wherein the first connector is electrically coupled to the AC/DC converter and is adapted to provide DC power to the consumer electronics device. 
   
   
       17 . A supplemental cooling unit for a consumer electronics device cooling system having a supplemental connecting port, the supplemental cooling unit comprising:
 a cooling element;   a housing supporting the cooling element;   a connector configured to be coupled to the supplemental connecting port of the consumer electronics device cooling system, the connector comprising at least one electrical conductor for receiving electrical power from the consumer electronics device cooling system and providing the electrical power to the cooling element.   
   
   
       18 . The supplemental cooling unit of  claim 17 , further comprising a switch electrically coupled to the connector to interrupt the electrical power received by the connector. 
   
   
       19 . The supplemental cooling unit of  claim 17 , further comprising a potentiometer electrically coupled to the cooling element to control the electrical power received by the cooling element. 
   
   
       20 . The supplemental cooling unit of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one attachment protrusion configured to retain the supplemental cooling unit against the consumer electronics device.